New hotels in Santa Monica

We don't yet track any verified new hotel opening in Santa Monica. It's one of the most established hotel markets on the Southern California coast, but every property currently operating here predates what this site tracks, and we'll add an entry the moment a genuinely new opening is confirmed. In the meantime, here's the city itself.

The pier and the beach

Santa Monica Pier, first opened in 1909, is the city's defining landmark: a wooden pier carrying Pacific Park, a small amusement park with a solar-powered Ferris wheel and roller coaster, plus the sign marking the western terminus of Route 66. Santa Monica State Beach runs the full width of the city below it, wide and flat, one of the most heavily used beaches in Los Angeles County. Palisades Park, a narrow bluff-top strip along Ocean Avenue lined with palm trees, runs above the beach for about a mile and a half and gives sweeping views out over Santa Monica Bay toward the Pacific.

Downtown and the neighborhoods

The Third Street Promenade, a three-block pedestrian shopping street a few minutes inland from the pier, anchors downtown with retail, cinemas and street performers. Montana Avenue, a mile or so north, is the quieter, more upscale boutique-and-café strip favored by residents over tourists. South of downtown, Main Street runs through the Ocean Park neighborhood toward Venice, a corridor of independent shops, cafés and galleries that includes Bergamot Station, a former rail yard turned contemporary art complex.

Getting there

The Metro E Line light rail runs directly from downtown Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles, one of the more useful transit connections on this stretch of coast and a genuine alternative to driving. Los Angeles International Airport is about 15 minutes away without traffic. Santa Monica sits between Malibu to the north and Venice Beach immediately to the south, both an easy walk or short drive along the coast.

Frequently asked questions

Does this guide track any new hotels in Santa Monica yet?

Not yet. Santa Monica already has one of the most established hotel markets on this stretch of coast, and every property we've reviewed here predates what this site tracks as a new opening. We'll add an entry as soon as we can verify one.

What is Santa Monica best known for?

Santa Monica Pier and its Pacific Park amusement rides, the wide beach below it, and the Third Street Promenade shopping district a few blocks inland — plus its role as the official western end of Route 66.

How do you get from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles without a car?

The Metro E Line light rail runs directly between the two, with a stop close to the pier and downtown Santa Monica.

Is Santa Monica within walking distance of Venice Beach?

Yes. The boardwalk runs continuously south from Santa Monica State Beach into Venice, roughly a 30-to-45-minute walk along the sand, or a few minutes by bike or scooter.

What's the best beach access point in Santa Monica?

The area directly below Santa Monica Pier and Palisades Park is the most central, with the widest stretch of sand and the shortest walk from downtown.